Political News and Commentary from the Right

We’ve stuck together since the late 1950s, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know that we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly this relationship has run its course. Our two ideological sides of America cannot and just will not ever agree on what’s right. So let’s just end it right now while we can do it on friendly terms. We can smile, shake hands, chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and each go our own way.

So here’s a model separation agreement.

Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by land mass, each taking a portion. That’s going to be the difficult part, but I’m sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy. Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate taste. We don’t like redistributive taxes so you can have those. You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU. And since you hate guns and you hate war, we’ll take the firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military. You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O’Donnell. But you are going to be responsible for finding a biodiesel vehicle big enough to haul them around.

We’ll keep the capitalism, the greedy corporations, the pharmaceutical companies; we will keep Wal-Mart and Wall Street. You can have the homeless, the homeboys, the hippies and illegal aliens. We will keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, the greedy CEOS and all of the rednecks. We’ll keep the Bibles and we’ll let you have NBC and Hollywood.

You can be nice to Iran and Palestine and we’ll retain the right to invade and hammer anybody that threatens us. You can have the peaceniks and the war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we will provide them with security. You won’t have to worry about it. We will keep our Judeo-Christian values. You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism and Shirley Maclaine. You can also have the UN, but we will no longer pay the bill.

We will keep the SUVs, the pickup trucks and the oversize luxury cars. You can have the compacts, the subcompacts and every Subaru station wagon you can find. You can give everybody healthcare, if you can find any practicing doctors. We will continue to believe that healthcare is a privilege and not a right. We will keep “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and the national anthem, and I am sure you will be happy to substitute in their place “Imagine.” I’d like to teach the world to sing “Kumbaya” or “We are the world.” We will practice trickle-down economics and you can give trickle-up poverty your best shot. And since it so offends you, we will keep our history, our name and our flag.

Would you agree to this? If so, please pass it along other like-minded liberal and conservative patriots. And if you do not agree, just hit delete. In the friendly spirit of parting, I’ll bet you ANWAR which one of us will need whose help in about 15 years.

A Brief History of Bush’s Time

The current narrative of the Bush Presidency is that it is a failure (believed by 107 of 109 historians surveyed) and that George W. Bush is the worst President in history (believed by 61% of those surveyed historians). Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said, “The president already has the mark of the American people — he’s the worst president we ever had.”

That’s one narrative. I have another.

Despite being handed one of the worst situations in history from President Clinton, and being fought tooth and nail by his opponents in government and the media, literally from the day of his election, President George W. Bush persevered to restore prosperity at home and to make the US and the world more free and secure.

By the time election day rolled around this year, it was well known the GOP wasn’t trying to maximize the number of races it would win, but instead trying to minimize the number of races it would lose. Here’s a headline from June 9 of this year, GOP Official: If We Only Lose Eight Senate Seats, We Win. Talk about setting yourself up for defeat.

The Republican Party Chairman, Mike Duncan, wants another shot even after the drumming the party took in November’s elections. But does he deserve it? Can the GOP recover under the same leader who served as helmsman through this past election cycle?

I believe the answer is no.

Chairman Duncan has served the Republican Party for 30+ years and we are grateful for his service, but it’s time to step aside.

A growing movement of grassroots conservatives has sprung up since the election, alive with an energy that we never saw throughout this past election cycle. Almost 7,000 have endorsed Rebuild the Party‘s plan to revive the GOP and almost 2,000 are active on the movement’s Ning social networking site–blogging, participating in discussion forums, and forming alliances of fellow grassroots activists, all in preparation for elections that will take place in two and four years. This movement counts over 4,300 members in its group on the social networking site Facebook.

Another grassroots movement, Top Conservatives on Twitter, has sprung to life as well. In a few short weeks, it has grown to more than 1,500 members. This group has already begun to organize and implement Action Projects to promote conservative causes. An internet campaign to stop the auto company bailout, an alliance formed with Ford Motor Company when it became clear Ford wasn’t asking for federal money, and a drive to enlist RNC members are just a few of the causes this group of activists have undertaken in the weeks since the election.

The rapid growth and impact of these movements demonstrate greatest weakness in the current RNC leadership. It ignored or dismissed them almost entirely throughout the campaign. These online activists weren’t utilized while Barack Obama was building an internet army to promote his message and distort ours. We were routed in November, in part, because we failed to integrate 21st century communications in our strategy.

The internet is a medium that can carry our conservative message cheaply and efficiently. Now is not the time to trust in leaders who cannot or will not embrace the technology that makes our message available to 183 million adults who have access to the internet. According to this Harris Interactive poll and this Zogby poll, the internet is the MOST trusted source for news among Americans. And the GOP failed to make use of this during the 2008 elections.

By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – President George W. Bush gave the U.S. automakers $17.4 billion in emergency rescue loans, but the fate of the industry is in the hands of President-elect Barack Obama.

Simply letting the carmakers collapse was not an option amid a recession, housing slump and financial credit crunch, Bush said in announcing the short-term loans and demanding tough concessions from the automakers and their employees.

“By giving the auto companies a chance to restructure, we will shield the American people from a harsh economic blow at a vulnerable time,” the president said in his Saturday radio address. “And we will give American workers an opportunity to show the world once again that they can meet challenges with ingenuity and determination, and emerge stronger than before.”

Detroit’s Big Three cheered the action and vowed to rebuild their once-mighty industry, though they acknowledged it would be tough to fight their way back from the brink of bankruptcy. If the carmakers fail to prove viability — a positive cash flow and ability to make good on the loans — by March 31, they will be required to repay the government loans.

Exactly what we’ve been saying. If an Arkansas hillbilly like me could figure this out, you’d think our elected officials in DC could have.

President Bush: Automakers to get $17.4B

By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – The Bush administration came to the rescue of the U.S. auto industry Friday, offering $17.4 billion in loans in exchange for concessions from the deeply troubled carmakers and their workers.

Official Flag of the United Socialist States of America

“Allowing the auto companies to collapse is not a responsible course of action,” President Bush said, citing danger for the entire national economy as well as the carmakers. Bankruptcy, he said, would deal “an unacceptably painful blow to hardworking Americans” across the economy.

One official said $13.4 billion of the money would be available this month and next, $9.4 billion for General Motors Corp. and $4 billion for Chrysler LLC. Both companies have said they soon might be unable to pay their bills without federal help. Ford Motor Co. has said it does not need immediate help.

Well, he officially did it–undermined everything we accomplished in getting the original House bailout defeated. Bush ignored public opinion and the US Senate in a vain attempt to keep his legacy from being forever tied to the current economic crisis.

The statement says concessions were made by the auto companies. What concessions? That they’ll pay the loan back if they haven’t developed a plan to become viable by March? What in the Hell are they going to pay it back with? And if this money is to keep them afloat until then, will they need another bailout in March?

Where are the concessions by the UAW? Hell, in this interview yesterday Gettelfinger was finally getting used to the idea that concessions were going to be unavoidable. This irresponsible move by the Bush White House will only embolden him once again and make it much more difficult to force contract amendments that could once again make American automakers competitive.

You’d think the President would have learned after the financial industry bailout failed to achieve it’s goal. Government bailouts don’t work! All he’s done is ensure that it will be business as usual in Detroit, with the same incompetent management and the same bloated labor contracts that create a drag on the American auto industry as if it was trying to pull an aircraft carrier anchor along behind it.

Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the United Socialist States of America (USSA)! Comrade Kruschev must be quite pleased now.

“I once said, “We will bury you,” and I got into trouble with it. Of course we will not bury you with a shovel. Your own working class will bury you.”

Earlier this week, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said she would work on bringing back the federal regulation that requires equal time for the expression of different political views on the public airwaves. Click Here

Surprise! Surprise! America’s march leftward into a dictatorial socialist state continues apace. How fitting that this particular part of “The Rush To Silence Rush” will be led by a leftist from the left coast. And check this: they want to expand it to cover Cable and Satellite programming. Already, our socialist Congress is over-reaching! But that is an article for another day!

Yes, I do mean a socialist Congress. For that is what we have. Do not try to feed me the garbage about a “centrist” Congress or a “centrist” President-Elect Obama. If you really want to see what the left considers “Centrist” look at this graph:

Liberals just can’t stand it that talk radio is dominated–and I mean dominated–by conservatives like Limbaugh, Shawn Hannity, Michael Reagan, and others. They tried to make inroads with Air America, but the market won’t support it. In other words, you didn’t want to hear it so advertisers won’t pay to support it.

Therefore, liberals have decided they’ll either force you to listen to it or force you to turn off talk radio by imposing the so-called “Fairness Doctrine.” Basically they want to force talk radio stations to put shows on the air that listeners don’t want to hear. It’s not enough that the MSM (mainstream media) is dominated by liberals, they want to bombard you with their rhetoric on every medium and leave you with no escape.

By CARLA K. JOHNSON and MIKE ROBINSON, Associated Press Writers

CHICAGO – Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich met with a renowned Chicago criminal lawyer Saturday as he weighed his legal options on how to fight a scandal that has left his career in tatters and disrupted President-elect Barack Obama‘s White House transition.

The Democratic governor had a four-hour meeting with Ed Genson in the lawyer’s downtown office Saturday. Genson has defended newspaper baron Conrad Black, R&B singer R. Kelly and numerous public figures on corruption charges, earning a reputation as the lawyer big shots call when they get in a bind in Chicago.

Genson confirmed the two met but wouldn’t discuss details of their dialogue. When asked if he would take the case, Genson said: “We’ll make our mutual decision on Monday.”

Blagojevich had brushed back calls for his resignation after he was charged with trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat. He sought to project a business-as-usual image amid the turmoil, going to work every day and handling state business.

So Democrats really believe that the government can find one person who is equipped to make these central planning decisions? What if the person has an agenda of his own (for example., he decides that having “green” cars will make the car companies more “competitive” — and is more important — than consumers being able to choose larger cars)?

Now that Republicans in the Senate have drawn a line in the sand and killed the “American Socialist Experiment Act” (the auto bailout), GM has suddenly found a way to save money. After all the whining and begging and flying to D.C. in private jets in an effort to extort money from the American taxpayer so they could continue to run their companies into the ground for just a little longer, we suddenly discover there is a plan C that we weren’t told about until it became obvious that Americans are going to keep their hands on their wallets this time around.

GM has decided to temporarily close plants across North America and cut output by a third in order to cut costs and preserve capital. Wait a minute. Weren’t they telling us earlier this week that without an immediate bailout they’d be completely shut down by New Years? Didn’t it sound like the Democrats in Washington and the White House (they may as well be Democrats) were predicting something approaching the Apocalypse if the purse strings weren’t loosened NOW?

Here’s how the auto company execs played out their hand:

1. CEOs said unless Congress approves $34 billion in aid, the U.S. can look forward to becoming a 3rd world nation.

2. No? Okay, since that didn’t work $25 billion will prevent imminent collapse of the U.S. economy.

3. Still too much? Well then, maybe $15 billion will be enough.

4. What do you mean you won’t give us $15 billion? Okay, $14 billion will have to do.

5. You won’t even give us a measly $14 billion? That’s not fair! We’re going to pick up our toys and quit playing. That’ll show you and the world as you know it will end. Nobody will have a job, nobody will have any money, the country will fall into chaos, the DOW will go to $0, and Christmas will be canceled!

6. You still won’t give us ANYTHING?!?!?!? We’re all going to die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7. Well then, okay. We’ll see what we can do to cut costs and keep as many jobs filled as we can so that when this economy rebounds we’ll still be in a position to restart and ramp up production to take advantage of it. It would have been easier if you’d given us the money, but now we have to play by the rules and do what we probably would have done in the first place if you hadn’t just given the banks all that money.

Okay, I exaggerated a little there, but you get the point. Basically they were saying disaster awaited if they weren’t supplied with immediate cash and the amount needed kept being adjusted downward in an effort to find a point where they could just get something.

For those of you who believed the Democratic and UAW scare tactics and were convinced that Socialism was the only thing that could save us from impending doom, ask yourself “Who told me there were other options?” “Who repeatedly said there were alternative paths involving restructuring the companies to make them competitive in today’s market?

While Harry Reid (D-NV) and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) tried to scare you into believing economic death would await you behind every door, behind every bush, and around every corner if we didn’t immediately implement full-blown Socialism, it was the conservatives who sounded the call of responsibility, accountability, patience, calm, and courage to deal with the impending crisis.

And suddenly, when it became obvious to these panhandling CEOs that nobody was going to fill their tin cups on the corner, we see a plan to carry them through this difficult time. A real plan that appears to have been devised by someone with a degree in business. Imagine that.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize a company can’t sustain a cash burn rate of $1+ billion per month. If your company is paying out that much more cash than it’s taking in, drastic changes to the business model should come quickly. Yet GM knew for months this crisis was approaching and did nothing to prevent it! Why would they when they thought if things got bad you and I would fill their coffers to keep them afloat? It reminds me of a spoiled rich kid who spends all his money partying. Then, month after month has to come to his parents for money to pay the bills.

Know that we’re not deluding ourselves. Hard times are yet to come–for the auto companies and for our economy at large. But now we can confront the challenges the way they should be confronted, with restructuring and reorganization that will eventually result in a leaner, more productive business model that can once again thrive and be competitive in today’s market.

So all who believed it was imperative to pass this bill, to use taxpayer money in a vain effort to sustain an unsustainable business model, to fully embrace Socialism–an economic model that history has proven time and again cannot compete with free market Capitalism, think about who it was that spoke the truth throughout the hype.

It wasn’t the Reids and Pelosis, but the “Gang of 6” and all the conservative activists standing behind them.

The article warns that the seemingly endless flow of bailout money flooding from the U.S. Treasury Department to Bear Stearns, AIG, the financial markets, etc., has put the federal share of the nation’s economic activity close to $1 out of every $4, the highest level since World War II.

What does this mean for our nation’s future? According to the USA Today, economists predict that as this rapid spending spree continues, it could lead to “slower economic growth, higher interest rates, and the likelihood that tax increases or spending cuts will be needed to tame a budget deficit headed toward a record $1 trillion.”